Not applicable.
Not applicable.
Not applicable.
This invention relates to a system for dispensing a fluent material from a container. The invention is particularly suitable for incorporation in a dispensing closure for use with a squeezable container.
There are a variety of types of conventional dispensing closures which function generally satisfactorily in applications for which they are designed. One type of prior art dispensing closure system includes a body or base for being attached to the top of a container. The body defines a dispensing orifice. The system further includes a lid which is mounted on the base or body and which can be lifted up to open the dispensing orifice. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,324.
The U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,324 discloses a design which also includes a tamper-evident tear strip for initially preventing lifting of the lid away from the body unless and until the tear strip is first torn away by the user, and this serves as a tamper-evident feature. While such a design offers significant advantages, it would be desirable to provide an improved tamper-evident dispensing closure system.
In particular, it would be advantageous to provide a tamper-evident dispensing closure system which would not require that the user physically pull, and tear away, a component of the assembly. It would also be desirable in such an improved dispensing closure system to have a tamper-evident feature that, upon opening, does not produce a separate, loose piece that must be discarded.
Such an improved tamper-evident dispensing closure system should also be adaptable for use with a one-piece, unitary closure system as well as with a two-piece, or other multiple-piece, closure system.
It would also be beneficial if such an improved tamper-evident dispensing closure system could readily accommodate the connection of the lid to the body with a hinge structure, either a hinge structure that is unitary with both the lid and body, or a two-piece hinge structure that is part of a separately formed lid and separately formed body which can be assembled together.
It would also be advantageous if such an improved tamper-evident dispensing closure system could incorporate the tamper-evident feature in a way which does not hinder access to, or obstruct, the front of the lid where a thumb lift tab might be employed.
It would also be desirable to provide a tamper-evident dispensing closure system which would have a minimum number of components so as to facilitate manufacture and assembly.
It would also be advantageous to provide a dispensing closure system with the capability for accommodating optional tamper-evident features between the container and closure system body that can readily indicate to a consumer that the dispensing closure system has been initially removed from the container.
It would also be beneficial if a dispensing closure system could readily accommodate its manufacture from a variety of different materials.
It would also be advantageous if such an improved closure system could accommodate bottles, containers, or packages which have a variety of shapes and which are constructed from a variety of materials.
Further, it would be desirable if such an improved system could accommodate efficient, high-quality, high-speed, large volume manufacturing techniques with a reduced product reject rate to produce products having consistent operating characteristics unit-to-unit with high reliability.
The present invention provides an improved tamper-evident dispensing closure system for a container that has an opening to the container interior. The system can be readily operated by the user to initially open the system for accommodating flow from the container. The initial opening operation does not produce a separate, loose piece which must be discarded. The tamper-evident closure system can be employed with a one-piece or multi-piece closure body and lid design. Further, the tamper-evident dispensing closure system readily accommodates the employment of the thumb lift tab on the lid and a unitary or multi-piece hinge structure between the lid and the body. The system also accommodates the use of other, optional, tamper-evident features between the closure body and the container.
According to a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, the tamper-evident dispensing closure system includes a body that is adapted to extend from the container at the container opening. The body defines (1) at least one dispensing orifice for communicating with the container opening, (2) a channel, and (3) a retention member projecting over a portion of the channel. The system further includes a lid for accommodating lifting of the lid relative to the body between, (1) a closed position over the body dispensing orifice, and (2) an open position away from the body dispensing orifice. An anchor member is received in the channel and has an engaging portion for engaging the retention member when the anchor member is received in the channel. At least one frangible web initially connects the anchor member with the lid closed and can be broken when the lid is lifted from the closed position.
The closure system can be readily incorporated as a separate assembly of components defining a closure that is separate from, but which is adapted to be mounted to, the container. Such a closure may be incorporated in an embodiment which is removably attachable to the container or which is non-removably attachable to the container. In another contemplated embodiment, the closure body may be formed as an integral or unitary part, or molded extension, of the upper end of a container, and the lid may be provided as a unitary molded extension of the body or may be a separate component.
Numerous other advantages and features of the present invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.